: : : Here's a portion of a message post that I recently wrote on the multiple sclerosis board. I thought that it should also be posted here. Here's my story of how I linked my chronic pains to my mercury-silver dental amalgams:

: : : About 22 years ago, my doctor told me that I was too old, too fat, that I should not run more than a hundred yards, and that I should take 10 aspirins a day. Today, after decades of suffering a very painful condition, I run nearly 20 miles a week, after having my mercury-silver dental amalgams removed. I may be one of the few anywhere, that can definitely link this problem that way. I'm now 50 years old, and now feel in the best of shape. I thank God for helping me along the way. Maybe I can help some of you too.

: : : About twenty-two years ago, after my doctor told me to take so many aspirins, I refused to take that "junk". I couldn't believe that at 27 years of age (nearly 28) that I was going to be hooked on pills. I had to find another way. I saw many other doctors, but none could help me. I searched for answers in books, but found little comfort. Then I experimented with mega-vitamins and minerals and I found some improvement. There was a connection with this joint pain and what I was eating. Since I did not like taking pills of any kind, I decided to change my diet instead after this brief experimentation. That greatly helped where I could now run about 5 miles a week, with some pain. That was about 17 years ago when I changed to a healthy diet.

: : : Then over the years I struggled with this, sometimes feeling better, but other urinary problems made me worse. To shorten my story, it progressively got so bad, that I didn't want to live any more. (That was about 13 years ago.) I then discovered herbs, such that I again felt better. I lived that way with some improvement, but I always struggled with it - with the lower back pain, chest pains, sore joints, headaches, loose teeth, gum disease, continued urinary problems, and cramps.

: : : Then about 6 years ago, one of my molar teeth split in half, exposing one of my mercury-silver amalgams. The next day, my pains increased to nearly unbearable levels. My back muscles near my shoulder blades hurt all the time, and I had tingling at the end of my hands. I got very scared, for I felt like I was at the end of my rope. Then I found that none of my natural diet and herbal tricks worked. That made me even more worried. I called a local hospital for help, but all they could offer me, was to say that maybe I could call someone in research, at a research hospital. I was in so much pain and despair, I couldn't wait. It was too coincidental. There must be a link between all these pains and these amalgams, I thought. Years ago, I had read about it in a book in a health food store, but at that time, I had a hard time believing that these black things in my mouth really could cause so many problems. Now, I knew for sure. I decided to have all eight of them removed. I had many strange symptoms during the removal process. I was excited, that I was doing the right thing. I envisioned myself running like the wind, while the dentist drilled and drilled. That helped me endure the long dental procedures.

: : : When I had all these ugly black fillings replaced with white plastic fillings in a two month period, I was disappointed that I didn't immediately feel much better. I then went back to my books, and found that removing the toxins in the mouth was only part of the solution. Now, I had to remove them from the rest of my body as well. I experimented with anti-mercury compounds (Vitamin E, Garlic Extract, and Selenium). That was a terrible mistake. After weeks of this self treatment, I got extremly ill. I felt like I was hungry and I wanted to vomit at the same time. I wanted to run and sleep at the same time. I then got so sleepy, that I stayed in bed most of the day. I missed a week of work and I wondered if I was going to die. When I finally returned to work that strange sensation took about 2 months before it went completely away. I couldn't tell any of my co-workers about it and I lived in constant fear. After that time, I decided against any more experimentation.

: : : That anti-mercury self treatment happened a few months after I had the amalgams removed. Since that time I stuck to common sense treatment which was a healthy diet, my herbs, and my exercise program. Over the years most of my symptoms of pain and misery gradually have gone away. I now race my body around the neighborhood (usually about 19.5 miles a week). I continually break my own personal best records, which is really challenging. I'm not 100% cured, but now I'm in the best of health, where I look much younger than my age.

: : : Just the other day, someone at my work, called me "young man". I didn't say anything, but wonder if I really still look that young. My kids tell me that I do. I just got Modern Maturity magazine, and my AARP card, and I'm a kid again. Maybe you too can be that kid again!!!

: : : Best of luck for all of you that suffer from strange illnesses that are difficult to cure or understand. I hope that some of you can make improvements, such I had done, by eating healthy, removing toxins, taking herbs for cleansing, and exercising moderately. I would expect that you do that under doctor's care, as it can never be known for certain that any of you have what I had. I had taken chances and made decisions on my own because I couldn't find help from any doctors. I don't expect any of you to experiment, as I had done, because I have shown you some of the consequences. But it often is a tough decision to make. I was just gutsy enough to do what others didn't do, and was lucky and blessed by God to succeed.

: : : Have any of you had similar problems that I had had? Have any of you linked your illness to your dental amalgams? What more can any of you tell me about it? Thanks.

: : well that sounds very interesting..i havnt had the same problems but i have had many problems just recently that all came about very quickly right along with my teeth.i got the first tooth ache ever then had a root canal.ever since then i have had many tooth aches but my bigest problem is my health went downhill bigtime.its amazing how them little teeth that seem only important when you eat hold so much power over your health.it baffles me.i wish i could do it all over again and take care of them from the start.i have a mouth FULL of amalgam but i never had any problems till now and ive had these fillings since i was a kid so i dont think that i am sensitive to them.but i could be wrong.if i werent so worried about self esteem i would have them all pulled and replaced with dentures but i am only 21 years of age.i plan on having a couple of kids in the distant future and i will make damn sure that they keep their teeth their whole life or else!!ciao

: *************************************************: In most cases, I would think that there is no need to remove your teeth, if you have a mouth full of amalgams. If you decide, as a minimum for cosmetic reasons, to remove your dental amalgams and replace them with white "plastic" type of fillings, you can have that done instead. I had the change-over completed in two steps, where they drilled out the amalgam, made a mold, gave me a temporary filling, and then had an outside shop make this "plastic" filling from the mold to be cemented in place at a later date. I read of a dental office closeby, that will do this in one step (that is, one visit), but I'm not sure of the procedures. So, you might want to check it out from your dentist, or a number of dentists, to see how long and how much it would cost to convert your teeth to a nice white set.

: Although, some people will argue that mercury-silver amalgams are safe, based on no scientific evidence, I know that they affected me. Since, in some cases some dentists are bound to this reasoning, by the ADA, they may not be able to help you determine or discuss whether the amalgams are giving you health problems. But for cosmetic reasons, they should be able to assist you. If your health improves after the change-over, then consider yourself fortunate. If your health does not improve, then you can be happy to have a nice set of teeth, that are not spotted with gray-black mercury-silver dental amalgams.

: It should be noted, that I had a friend that found that one of his white "plastic" filling gave him problems, so he went back to the amalgam. Everyone is different, and the sensitivity of one compound may be different for one individual to another. I had a naturopath check out my sensitivity to these new alternate materials before I made the switch to a mercury free mouth. So, "to each or his or her own". Do some research and try to do what is best for you. But, again there is not always a need to remove all of your teeth and get a set of dentures to get rid of your dental amalgams. Your dentist should be able to help you determine that.

well thank you for the advice but like i said i really dont think that amalgams are my problem..i think the fact that i have 2-3 dead teeth still in my mouth and lots of cavities are my number one health problem..i was a spectrum of health till my teeth started hurting..